AfriGeneas Writers Forum

Once again, I enjoyed reading this. I remember growing up hearing those songs in church or on my grandmother's tiny little tape recorder in her home. If we wanted the words to one of those old songs, we would borrow her tapes and start and stop it until we got the words written down for the lead and background.

When Mr. Dorsey passed, I mentioned it to a white co-worker who wrote songs for her husband's plays that they performed in their church. I remember she said that "Tommy Dorsey" the band leader had died years ago. I corrected her and watched her eyes grow big as I mentioned some of the great gospel songs that "Thomas Dorsey" wrote. She didn't know the man's name or anything about him, but she did know his songs.